JPH0544059B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an image processing system capable of storing image information such as documents and retrieving and outputting the same as needed.

[Prior art]

Recently, offices and the like are becoming paperless, and one of these is a device that stores and retrieves document images as they are by reducing and recording document images on microfilm. Furthermore, as an alternative to this, a two-dimensional scanning device that uses photoelectric conversion technology using laser light or a CCD element is used to decompose a document image into pixels and convert it into an electrical image signal, and this image signal is stored on an optical disk. Image information retrieval devices have also been developed that store images at a high density in optical disc storage devices or magneto-optical disk storage devices, and image information retrieval devices that treat microfilm, optical disk storage devices, or magneto-optical disk storage devices in the same way as image storage devices. .

In addition to optical disks and microfilms that store images, this type of device also stores document image storage devices, and magnetic disks and other storage devices that store so-called search data such as codes and keywords representing the content of the image information. I'll let it happen. By entering a search code or keyword as necessary, the corresponding image information will be searched.
Hard copies are also now available.

However, with this type of device, when storing multiple pieces of image information and their corresponding search data in each storage medium, the image information can be stored almost immediately after setting the document on a two-dimensional scanner or microfilm camera. It can be automatically read and stored on a storage medium or photographed on microfilm, but the search data must be entered when the document is placed on a two-dimensional scanner or microfilm camera, or when multiple documents are scanned. Although it may or may not be possible to carry out the operation after the image information has been memorized, the operator must operate the keys on the keyboard, and the more image information there is, the more complicated the task becomes. It was a lot of work.

Furthermore, in this type of device, search data corresponding to image information is often composed of a combination of a plurality of items. However, the amount of search data that can be allocated to one image information is
Because of the natural limitations, conventionally, if you enter search data carelessly, you may run out of characters while inputting, or you may unnecessarily suppress the amount of data and not make full use of the available amount. was. Also, in order to avoid this, before inputting the search data you are trying to use, write it down on paper, count the number of characters, revise it in light of the limitations, and input the search data created in this way. That's what I was doing.

Therefore, in conventional image processing systems of this type, the labor required to input search data is a heavy burden on the system users.

〔the purpose〕

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing system that allows data input or search data input work to be performed more easily.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of an image processing system to which the present invention is applied.

The control device 1 performs editing processing such as recording, reproduction, insertion, and deletion of image information and search data according to input information from the input device 2, and performs overall control.

The input device 2, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2, is composed of a keyboard 2a, a microphone 13, and a voice recognition device 2b, and the keyboard 2a is used for inputting various data and various control commands. The voice recognition device 2b recognizes the search data input by voice from the microphone 13 by the operator, encodes it, and sends it to the control device 1. The control device 1 controls the sent code to display characters on the display device 12 and to store them in the magnetic storage device 8 as search data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the above-mentioned display, and shows a display example when the image information is patent information.

Decide in advance an attribute code that indicates what kind of information the image information is, and by first inputting that attribute code with the keyboard or voice, you can find the number of the item that is required as search data for information belonging to that attribute. and the item name will be displayed automatically. On the left side of FIG. 3, 1, title to 9, keyword are automatically displayed as essential search data items. From item 1, the operator answered, “I,
"Daimei, color gazo no yomi torisouchini, koukoku kokai, bangou, tokukaishiyo, gokyuu, hyphen, ichi, san, yong, nana, ni," he inputs the search data into the microphone 13. The input data recognized by the speech recognition device is sequentially displayed on the display device 12 as shown in FIG.
At the same time, the number of characters of the search data entered up to that point and the number of characters (remaining number of characters) that can be used from now on as search data for the image information are displayed. Note that OCR or the like may be used for input.

In general, in such search devices, the number of search data (number of characters) for one image information is not unlimited, but is usually limited to a maximum of 128 bytes or 256 bytes.

Compared to conventional keyboards, when inputting search data, it was necessary to write the search data properly on paper in advance, count the number of characters, and confirm that the limit was not exceeded before entering the data. According to the method of the present invention that automatically displays items, inputs by voice, and displays the number of characters used and the number of remaining characters, the image information that the operator should input on the spot can be displayed without preparing search data in advance. Since input can be performed while looking at the manuscript, the complexity of inputting search data is greatly reduced and simplified. If you look at the item name and the number of characters remaining in the displayed search data, you can prepare the search data in advance and input it while creating the search data on the spot without having to count the number of characters. It is very convenient to input the most important items first, then check the remaining number of characters that can be used and make selections as needed.

Furthermore, Figure 3 shows the display screen when inputting up to the classification symbol HO4N 1/46 is completed.

Furthermore, when using a Kanji code (JIS-C6226), one character requires two bytes, and FIG. 3 shows the number of characters when all characters are represented by codes in the Kanji code table. The item code indicating the end of the data for each item that is not displayed is also included in the count, but the item name is not stored as search data (the control device can distinguish it from the item number and attribute code), so it is not included in the count. Possible number of characters = 128 characters - 3 characters -
9 items = 101 characters).

Note that when the number of remaining characters decreases to a certain number or less, an alarm may be issued, such as by issuing a sound or by flashing a display.

The conversion of input by voice recognition into Kanji characters may be performed using a word processor or the like, but a Kanji conversion method may be used, and the details thereof will be omitted since they are not the main point of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an example of displaying essential items of search data when the attribute of information is minutes.

The two-dimensional scanning device 4 converts the document 3 into an electrical image signal using a CCD or a laser beam so that it can be stored in the optical disk device 7. The microfilm file 5 is an image file of 16 mm roll microfilm or microfissure film. Normally, 16mm roll microfilm is stored in containers called cartridges about every 100 feet. These microfilms are loaded into the microfilm scanning device 6 manually or automatically as necessary. As a result of the image information search, the microfilm scanning device 6
When it is determined that the image information is stored on a microfilm and the control device 1 outputs the address of the microfilm (frame), the microfilm file 5 sends the address of the microfilm (frame) to the cartridge containing the microfilm frame. Alternatively, a microfilm is loaded manually or automatically, and the image on the microfilm is converted into an electrical image signal in the same way as a two-dimensional scanning device. The converted electrical image signal is transmitted to a display device 12, as necessary.
Alternatively, it is displayed on a high-definition electrophotographic display device, or sent to the recording device 9 and becomes a hard copy.

Also, in order to take advantage of the short search response time, the information is sometimes sent to the optical disk storage device 7 and stored therein.

The optical disk storage device 7 stores image signals scanned and read by a two-dimensional scanning device or a microfilm scanning device, and uses them as image information files.

In some cases, search data may also be stored.

The magnetic storage device 8 uses a magnetic disk or a magnetic tape as a storage medium, and stores search data, a control program for the entire search device, and the like.

The recording device receives the electrical image signal and creates a hard copy 10. For example, a laser beam printer or the like.

The high-definition electrophotographic display device 11 is a display device that forms an image on a photoreceptor belt by an electrophotographic method, and can form a high-definition image of about 16 pels. The details are well known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-98746, and so will be omitted.

The display device 12 is composed of a CRT, plasma display, liquid crystal display, etc., and is used for the above-mentioned display.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a control flowchart of the image processing system described above. First, in step 1, attributes indicating what kind of information the image information is, such as minutes, patent information, etc., are set in advance.
Input by voice or a man-machine interface such as a keyboard. Then, in step 2, the attribute is determined, in step 3, the essential items of the attribute are read out, and in step 4, the essential items are displayed on the display device 12 of FIG. Next, in step 5, the number of characters used in the word counter or the number of remaining characters is set. Then, in step 6, the value of the word counter is displayed. Next, microphone 1 in Figure 2
3, one word is input, the voice is input in step 8, a character code is generated, the recognized character is displayed in step 9, and the character code is stored in step 10. Next, in step 11, it is determined whether the input is finished, and if it is not finished, the step
At 12, subtract 1 from the counter value to calculate the remaining number of usable characters. Then, in step 13, it is determined whether the counter value has reached a predetermined number (for example, 5), and if YES, a warning is displayed that the number of usable characters is low, and the process returns to step 6. or,
If NO, the process proceeds to step 14, where it is determined whether the counter value is 0 or not. If it is not 0, character input is possible, so the process returns to step 6 and waits for the next input. If the counter value is 0, there is no input area, so the input operation ends.

〔effect〕

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily input search data, and the input effort can be greatly reduced.

Furthermore, it becomes possible to greatly increase the usage efficiency of the image processing system. Furthermore, when inputting search data, by inputting the attribute to which image information belongs from the input device, essential items for the search can be displayed, making it possible to perform the search efficiently.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing system to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an input device.
Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the display on the display device 12 when inputting search data when the image information is patent information, and Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the display on the display device 12 when the image information is minutes. FIG. 5, which is a diagram showing an example of the display on the display device 12, is a control flowchart of the image processing system. 1...control device, 2...input device, 7...optical disk storage device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A storage means for storing image information; an input means for inputting search data corresponding to the image information stored in the storage means; Notifying means for notifying the usable amount or already used amount of data; Storage means for storing search data inputted from the input means; Searching image information stored in the storage means using the search data. An image processing system comprising: a search means. 2. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the input means includes voice recognition means for voice input.